Tara Hale and they Mysterious Book
by Jennavicia
Summary: Tara Hale is a young girl just trying to make it in the world; the only difference is she is a witch. After her mom dies she embarks on a journey to find and hopefully be with the father she never met. She ends up at Hogwarts befriending to unlikely wizards Dean and Seamus. If she thought this was going to be easy she was wrong. Follow Tara, Dean, and Seamus on a mysterious quest.


Tara Hale walked down the corridor to get the headmaster's office. She became more and more of nervous. She wasn't sure how this would turn out. When Dumbledore asked her to meet him at the school she was certain he was going to accept her request to attend Hogwarts. But now? Now she wasn't so sure. This was her only chance to finally be with her father. Though, of course, he didn't exactly know about her. Her mother had always kept her father a secret from her as she kept her from him. She may have had her reasons for that but then again that didn't mean she didn't want to know about him. So that has led her here to live with him, though again, she might have jumped to conclusions in assuming that he would welcome her as well as she would.

When she finally made it to the headmaster's office she was nearly shaking from nerves, "Lemon Drops." She choked out, surprised when the gargoyle leapt aside to let her pass revealing a spiral staircase. Tara took a deep and long breath before she started climbing. It didn't seem to help her nerves any. She knocked on the door with a shaky hand, her whole body seemed to be shaking, and waited for an answer. She hoped Dumbledore wouldn't notice.

"Come in." A voice said from the other side of the door.

Tara took a deep breath as she opened the door awed by the room in front of her. There were so many fascinating and outlandish things to look at that she nearly forgot that why she was there. That was until she heard an amused chuckle from the desk. She quickly sat down her face flushing. Tara had only meet Dumbledore once before. It was when she had asked him to meet her at the Leaky Cauldron so she could ask to attend here.

"Was your trip here alright?" Dumbledore asked kindly. Tara laughed despite how nervous she felt.

"I can honestly say that I will forever prefer those Muggle buses then that awful Knight Bus. Don't get me wrong. I work efficiently enough, but it's not at all made for comfort. I swear I have bruises all over the place from falling over so much. Madam Rosemerta, though, was very kind for helping me get here. She really does have the most amazing butterbeer." Tara smiled. She silently hoped that she would never have to ride the bus ever again. Though she knew she would have to ride it to get back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"I quiet agree." Dumbledore chuckled, "Now on to more pressing matters. Let's get to why we are here. I have only one question before we start. Are you sure you are ready for the off chance that for whatever reasons he does not acknowledge you and you are forced to fend for yourself, sent to a group home, or made to go back to America?"

Tara looked down at her lap as a small sad knowing smile spread on her face. She knew he was going to ask that. She had asked her that the day she decided to leave and still asks herself that. She looked back up at Dumbledore and said, "I understand what you are asking of me sir. I asked myself that very some question and I have come to the conclusion that I'm not going anywhere. I can't. I don't want to be anywhere but here. Just being able to be near him like this is enough. I had many offers from those who knew me and my mother and I will tell you what I told them. I will not give up on him. He's my family and I can't just give up knowing he's here and I have just the tiniest bit of a chance to be with him."

They started at each other for a few minutes before Dumbledore finally spoke, "With a stubborn attitude like that I am sure he will find hard not to believe you are his daughter." He smiled at her, "Welcome to Hogwarts Miss Hale."

Tara sat there for a while two seconds before bolting from her chair and around jumping around the office before she ran back to the desk and exclaimed, "You won't regret this Professor. I swear I will be like the student you'll ever had. I promise. I promise like a thousand times over. Thank you so so much. Oh my gawd. You have like no idea happy. I am talking to fast? I'm talking to fast aren't I? I'm sorry when I get excited I start talking really really fast. My mom said it was genetic, but I think she was just being nice. Am I rambling now? I think I'm rambling. And-"

"Tara!" Dumbledore almost yelled cutting off Tara. She had be talking so fast that he barely understood what she said, "Breath and please sit back down. We still have matters to discuss." He chuckled as she sat down apologetically but still very excited.

"I'm sorry sir. I won't happen again." She smiled speaking very carefully so as to not talk to fast.

"Right well, here is your Hogwarts letter. You will need to get everything on that list; except for the pets. It's you decision if you want to get them. Now school start back up in about a week so be prepared. I have arranged for one of the teachers to escort you back to the Leaky Cauldron. I know you were able to get here on your own but I feel safer if you went with a teacher." Dumbledore smiled.

Just then someone walked in, "You wished to see me headmaster." He said.

"Ah, yes Remus. This is Tara Hale. The student I told you about. Tara this is Professor Lupin. He will be teaching you Defense Against The Dark Arts and also the teacher escorting you to Diagon Ally." Dumbledore introduced, "Don't forget Tara you must stick to the ticket held within that letter. I wait for your return in a week."

And with that Tara and Lupin left the office and started towards Hogsmade to catch the Knight Bus. They were quiet for a little while before Tara's excitement got the better of and she blurted out the first thing that popped in her head, "Are you _**the**_Remus Lupin?" she asked.

"Pardon me?" Professor Lupin asked in return not sure what she had meant.

"Well you see my mom used to tell me whole bunches of stories from her days at Hogwarts and a lot of the involved some people named Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James Potter and some other guy. Mom never really talked about that other guy very much. She said she never really liked him much and that they never got along." Tara explained, "And so I was wondering if you were the same Remus she was talking about."

Remus chuckled, "Yes I am. If by chance is your mom's name Christina Hale?"

"The one and the same!"

"I thought so. You look just like her. How is she?" He asked. By this time they were already in Hogsmeade almost where the Knight Bus would pick them up.

"Actually sir, my mom died. Cancer," Tara whispered turning away sadly. Her mother's death was still fresh in her mind.

"Oh, Tara I am so sorry. I didn't mean-"

"I know Professor. It's okay. That's why I'm here. My father is here you see and so I switched schools to be with him."

"Well, I'm sure he is happy to have you with him despite the circumstances."

"Yeah. Happy." Tara smiled half-heartily._ 'Only he doesn't know I'm here yet.' _She added in her head. They were nearly about to exit the castle when they ran into someone. Literally. Tara fall backwards and would have fell to the floor if it weren't for Lupin.

"Sorry 'bout that. Didn't see yeh. Where yeh off ter Remus?" A voice said above Tara. She looked and saw a man about 8 feet tall smiling down at them.

"I'm off to escort a student to Diagon Ally for school supplies." Remus smiled back up at him, "Miss Hale this is Hagrid. He will be teaching you Care of Magical Creatures."

"Hallo Hagrid. It's nice to meet you! Call me Tara. Miss Hale makes me feel old." Tara beamed brightly holding out her hand to which Hagrid shook. She hoped she could get away with asking him to call her by her first name, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't mind.

"It's nice to meet you too Tara." Hagrid chuckled, "Mind if I tag along? I need to sumfin' in Diagon Ally as well and if yer going then we could all go tergether."

"Sure. We are going to be using the Knight Bus if you don't mind." Remus said as he started off towards Hogsmeade, Tara and Hagrid close behind.

"What do you need in Diagon Ally Professor?" Tara asked looking up at Hagrid.

"Hagrid if yeh don't mind." Hagrid corrected, "I need sum books to 'elp me on a case against a Hippogriff named Buckbeak. Beautiful creature it is. Must win yeh see. Them Ministry folks will do anything to convict what the call 'a dangerous creature' to death."

"What happened?"

"I was teachin' and one of the students didn't listen ter a word and walked up to 'im and 'ocourse he's going to attacks. Very proud creatures Hippogriffs. The boy was fine. Just a scratch on the arm, but his father thinks 'e should be put to death anyway."

"Well of course they got attack. It is in no way Buckbeak's fault. It should be that boys for not listening to the teacher! How could they just convict them like that?" Tara exclaimed loudly causing some passersby to look at them strangely.

"That's what Hermione said but the odds are against us. Those Ministry folks already 'ave the decision already made up in their minds, but we're not going to give up."

"That's right we're not going to give up! I'll do whatever it takes to help you help Buckbeak Hagrid!" Tara declared, already thinking up ways to help out, "And I don't know who this Hermione is but I will get together with her and we can work on it together."

"Thanks Tara. Means a lot." Hagrid sniffed. By that time they made it to where the Knight Bus would be picking them up. Remus held out his wand and they waited for the bus to appear. A few seconds later it appeared stopping abruptly in front of them. They boarded the bus and Lupin paid for the three of them. He told the conductor where they were going and they were off. It didn't take long for them to get there as it just is with the Knight Bus and soon they were in Diagon Ally shopping for school things.

"So, now all we need to get is…me a pet. I've always wanted an owl of my own. The lady we lived with back home had one and we used that, but it was never the same you know." Tara exclaimed happily practically skipping towards Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"I think I'll stay out here for now. How about I go get us some ice cream at Florean Fortescue's? I'll meet over there when you're done. Are you coming Hagrid?" Remus smiled already heading to the Ice cream parlor with the items he was carrying.

"Yeah be right there. Here give me those and pick yerself out an owl. Dead useful creatures that are and loyal too. Don't take too long." Hagrid smiled taking Tara's bags and going off after Lupin. Tara hurried into the shop and began to look at all the owls. None of them seemed to be catching Tara's attention until she reached the back where a beautiful Tawny owl was perched on one of the counters. She immediately fell in love with it.

"Hallo Mr. Owl. How would like to come home with me?" She asked the owl politely. Said owl hooted almost happily flying down from its perch and settling on her shoulder contently, "I take that as a yes then." She laughed walking up to the counter where you pay.

"I see you found a friend little guy." The man behind the counter smiled petting the owl, "That will be 10 galleons please."

"He sure did convince me." Tara laughed paying the man. The guy behind the counter put her knew owl into a cage and she set off to go find Professor Lupin and Hagrid. It was her first time in this place so she was more than a little lost as to where this 'Florean Fortescue's' was. She had figured she would be able to see Hagrid, you know, with him being so big and all. That didn't seem the case as she searched frantically around for the shop. She started walking in the direction of where she figured Lupin and Hagrid went hoping she would find them eventually Then just as she saw Hagrid she ran straight in someone making her fall to the ground the second time that day.

"I'm sorry I…" Tara began to apologize but when she looked up there was no one there, "I could have sworn I ran into someone." Her owl hooted from next to her and realized she must have dropped the cage and it rolled away from her, "Poor Mr. Owl I'm sorry I didn't mean to drop you." Tara smiled at the owl and went to pick him up. When she got to the owl she noticed there was a note in the cage, "That's weird. I don't remember there being a paper in there before. I wonder what it is." She picked up the owl and placed it upright on the ground and bent over taking the note from inside the cage.

_Tara,_

_ You may not know me now, but if I know you well enough I know we will be acquainted soon. Please be careful and take care._

_Sincerely,_

_ Random Stanger_

Tara gaped at the note in absolute shock. How did this random stranger know who she was? To say this was creepy was a major understatement, and she was defiantly going to find out who this person was. There was no doubt about that.

"Tara, are you alright? Why are you on the floor?" A voice asked from above her. It seemed that in her shock she ended up sitting on the ground in front of her owl. She looked up at Professor Lupin having recognizing his voice. She stood up and shoved the note into her pocket.

"Yep, I was just taking a little sit that's all. I couldn't find you so I thought that I would sit here and just think you know." Tara smiled, though it was forced. She thought she was busted when Lupin merely stared at her before turn and heading back towards Hagrid with her owl in hand.

"Hagrid's been worried about you. Hurry up now." He smiled over his shoulder. Tara nodded hurrying up to catch up to him. She stayed quiet throughout the rest of their lunch. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she was barely able to concentrate on her food. One way or another she was going to find out who the owner of the note was not matter what. It was while they ate that unbeknownst to them that close by a man under a cloak watched the three eyes trained and a young girl barely 13.


End file.
